Picking up the pieces
by Izzy Yuki Hime
Summary: A sequel to 'Compare and Contrast' explaining what happened after Quinn and Puck's date. Puckleberry.


**A/N:** So when I was commissioned to write **'Compare and Contrast'**, I never planned for it to be more than a oneshot. But everyone loved the first bit (or so it seemed anyway - I'm not trying to be arrogant lol), so here's a short sequel to round off where I left things last time. I hope you like it!

Please note, this is entirely my own work now, no links to SKOW.

**Big thanks to:**

**Reviewers: **sweetcaroline1986,** jennforrachandfinn, **KateSutherland, **wtb4ever** and** izzabella11**

**Subscribers: **JillyBeanX-o-X,** sweetcaroline1986, **jamie421,** AdrinaFairy, **SinisterSocks16,** aiiiyo, **tutorgirl86,** cheap babble,** ReadingIsMy6thSense13,** msathenaxf **and **ally2892**

**Favouriters: **JillyBeanX-o-X,** GoddessOfLove321, **TwilightEmz09** and** wtb4ever

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Picking up the pieces**

It was 10.30pm on a Friday night and Noah Puckerman was...sat in his truck outside Rachel Berry's house, looking up at her window. The curtains weren't yet drawn, and golden light poured though it, illuminated Rachel as she sung to a camera, no doubt her latest myspace offering, or something she was doing for her Glee club. Her voice floated out of the open window, and his heart clenched.

_You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset__  
__She's going off about something that you said__  
__'Cause she doesn't get your humour like I do_

Inside her room, Rachel Berry struggled not to cry again as she remembered the kiss. It had been passionate, that had been very clear. And for some reason, it was burned into her memory like a brand.

_I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night__  
__I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like__  
__And she'll never know your story like I do_

The particular poignancy of her words was in their truth. Of all the songs to sing, she'd managed to choose one that said everything about their situation. Although, a preppy girl like Quinn probably did listen to Taylor Swift. _Ugh, she is _so _obnoxious_, Rachel thought angrily.

_But she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts__  
__She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers__  
__Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find__  
__That what you're looking for has been here the whole time_

Why didn't Noah realise what he was missing? She knew she wasn't the prettiest girl, or the most popular, but she knew him better than anyone. And she was the only person who could _always_ make him smile. Surely that counted for something?

_If you could see that I'm the one who understands you__  
__Been here all along, so why can't you see?__  
__You, you belong with me, you belong with me_

In his truck, Puck caught his breath, wondering if just maybe, there was a chance that his feelings were reciprocated. And then he remembered the kiss with Quinn, and he groaned quietly. _I'll never make her see how I feel now_, he thought.

_Walking the streets with you and your worn-out jeans__  
__I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be__  
__Laughing on a park bench, thinking to myself__  
__Hey, isn't this easy?_

With Rachel, he'd never had to try to impress her. Ever since he'd built her that stupid fairy castle (the other guys ripped the shit out of him for it but it'd been worth it for the smile on her face when it was finished) back in kindergarten, she'd adored him. Not in a creepy stalker way, just in that she never gave up on him, always believed in him and encouraged him even when his own Ma told him he would only screw up. The girl was the easiest company around, and more importantly, she just liked him for who he was.

_And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town__  
__I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down__  
__You say you're fine, I know you better than that__  
__Hey, what you doing with a girl like that?_

He sighed, realising that Quinn Fabray was one of those lessons that Life didn't give you a refund for – you just got bitten on the ass and sent on your way with your new knowledge. _How could I have been such an _idiot_? Why did I see what was right in front of me?_ He wondered angrily.

_She wears high heels, I wear sneakers__  
__She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers__  
__Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find__  
__That what you're looking for has been here the whole time_

She didn't even want to be captain of the Cheerios. Well, not unless it would get Noah to actually notice her. She liked the bleachers; she liked that it was her and Noah's special place, where nobody else hung out and they could find a way to be just them, even at school. But maybe that was why he was chasing after some girl who would never make him happy like she knew she could.

_If you could see that I'm the one who understands you__  
__Been here all along, so why can't you see?__  
__You belong with me_

She'd turned up at his house often enough after school, hanging around in his backyard if he wasn't there when she arrived. His Ma loved her, and she was as much at home in his house as he was. But he had to admit, it made him smile when he saw her there, sat on the steps waiting for him.

_Standing by and waiting at your back door__  
__All this time how could you not know?__  
__Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me_

_Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night__  
__I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're 'bout to cry__  
__And I know your favourite songs and you tell me 'bout your dreams__  
__Think I know where you belong, think I know it's with me._

Apart from his mother, Rachel Berry was the only other person who'd ever seen him cry. When his dad had walked out, she'd been the one person he'd broken down in front of – she'd been the one holding him all through a single, long night where he'd allowed himself to grieve for the father who'd barely been around and was now gone for good. And he'd lost count of the times he'd driven to hers at 1am, throwing pebbles at her windows or texting her phone until she woke up and let him in through the window. Jesus, the girl knew him better than anyone else. And it seemed like he'd been the last one to see it.

_Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you?__  
__Been here all along, so why can't you see?__  
__You belong with me__  
__Standing by and waiting at your back door__  
__All this time, how could you not know?__  
__Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me_

Rachel wondered if she would ever be able to tell him how she felt, or whether she'd just be stuck feeling this way until life took them on separate paths and she could finally forget those hazel eyes. She wasn't holding out much hope.

_You belong with me__  
__Have you ever thought just maybe__  
__You belong with me?__  
__You belong with me_

She stood in silence, the last notes fading on the night breeze, and at last, after switching off the camera, she let herself cry, wishing with every tear that he would love her the way she loved him.

Puck mustered his courage, got out of the truck in the stillness that followed the song, and climbed up to her window, with ease, dropping over the ledge before she had a chance to protest.

'Go _away_ Puck', she said, her voice choked. To his horror, she was crying, big tears rolling down her cheeks. _And I haven't made her cry since she was 8 and she cut her knee open cause she tripped up when I was chasing her with a spider_, he thought._ And since when does she call me Puck?_ Ignoring her angry looks, he walked over to her and seized her in a hug, her tiny fists barely an irritation as she tried to pummel his chest.

'I'm sorry Rachel. But you know I hate seeing you cry. Especially if I'm the reason behind it. So there's no way in hell I'm leaving 'til you're feeling better and I've said what I need to say.'

'No offence Noah, but I really don't want to hear about your wonderful date with Quinn', she mumbled into his chest. He chuckled softly, to her surprise.

'C'mon Rach, we both know it was a shit idea, I was just too thick to see it. As usual.'

'But I saw you kissing her!' She tried to hide the tears but couldn't, so she kept her face buried in his chest.

'To be fair, she was kissing me.' He heard her snorting. 'No _seriously_, for once in my sad existence I'm not lying sweetheart. She saw Jesse and planted one on me. Cause I was only ever a way of making him jealous.' He sighed. 'I hate to say this, cause I know your ego will actually be a health risk if it gets any bigger, but you were right. Her tears stopped, and he smiled to himself. _Same old Rachel_, he thought.

'Noah Puckerman, my ego is perfectly justified thank you very much. I am a hugely talented individual. I don't see why I shouldn't acknowledge the truth.' She sniffed and looked up at him. 'As for being right, is there a time when I'm not? Have you not realised this by now?' He smiled.

'Anything you say Berry. Anything for you.' And he bent to brush a very soft kiss on her lips. As she looked up at him with wide, shocked yet hopeful eyes, he smiled again. 'Thing is, when I was sat in that restaurant with Ice Queen, all I could think about was you. And how if I was with you, we'd be having a right laugh, or we'd be doing something actually _fun_ and not being pretentious and totally anal.' She looked surprised. 'What? I know some long words ok?' She raised an eyebrow. 'Shut up ok? I'm trying to be romantic here.' She giggled and he silenced her with a kiss again. 'Anyway, I realised it's not her I want. We don't belong in that world. It's like you said in that song – we belong together, here, in this world. Because you know me and I know you and it's...kinda perfect.' He looked at her awkwardly. 'So what do you say?'

Tears filled her eyes again, but when she smiled and nodded her head he figured they were happy tears, so he was kinda off the hook.

'I think for once Noah, you've actually managed to reach the right conclusion by yourself', she said laughingly. 'Even if you did have to date some prissy blonde cheerleader to see it.' He laughed with her, and kissed her again, thinking that just maybe something was going right today.

* * *

A few days later, walking at school hand in hand, they happened to go past Quinn and Jesse in the corridor. Rachel was too busy talking incessantly to notice, but Puck happened to meet the cheerleader's eye. She nodded, very slightly, in understanding, and he grinned, walking past with his girl on his arm. _I guess we both got what we wanted after all_.


End file.
